Our Friday (April 16) winners, Jeffrey and Linda Wallace from Flint, Michig an, were investigating the tea cup, which Lincoln left sitting on the windowsill of the White House just before he left for Ford’s Theatre, when they were chosen.

The Wallaces on the museum terrace with the U.S. Capitol in the background.

We asked them to reflect on what they would take if they could have anything from the White House. “I think I would collect a cup—it would last a long time. Either that or a pitcher or plate.” About the tea cup, Linda reflects, “the tea cup is fascinating because it is one of the last things he used—very unique.”

They decided to visit the museum to learn more about Lincoln after hearing the story of his assassination on a segway tour of downtown D.C. “We wanted to come see more about him,” Linda reflected.

Jeffrey summed up why Lincoln is still pertinent to Americans today. “Lincoln’s [rise to the] presidency is such an underdog story. He had to overcome a lot of stereotypes, being a backwoods man and such, as he made his way to the presidency. In reality, I think he was very intellectual.”

Donna Straub and seven other members of Girl Scout Troup 40994 from Summerhill, Pennsylvania, were chosen on Saturday (April 17) while viewing a draft wheel from the Civil War. Being selected by the museum for a special experience was a great treat for the group, who woke up at 4 am to make the trip to Washington, D.C., and was leaving that evening. Many of them dubbed the opportunity “awesome.”

So, what’s a draft wheel? “What would happen is people would be given numbers and their number would be put in the wheel. A number would be picked, and if they picked your number, you would have to fight,” explained Mackenzie Bender.

Conscription was first used during the Civil War to fuel the war effort and has remained a part of civil service ever since.

“It would be better if people just signed up. That would be fairer,” said Jessica Warren. “But I don’t know what to do if people don’t sign up.”

“It’s not right that only boys have to sign up,” said Bender after hearing men 18 years and older must put their names on a registry. “Women want to be equal in everything else—we should have to do the same thing.”